Noida, Sep 22 (PTI) When the whole world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, parts of Uttar Pradesh in the National Capital Region, including Noida, attracted huge investments showing the state government"s commitment for development, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday. Talking about the transformation under his rule, the chief minister said the people who earlier moved to Delhi for medical treatment were seen rushing to hospitals in UP"s NCR areas for assistance during the pandemic. "You must be aware earlier investors would run away from here and move to China and Vietnam. But I am happy to inform you that the country"s first (mobile phone) display unit has been set up in NCR only and during the pandemic," Adityanath said at an event hosted by Dainik Jagran in Greater Noida on "UP-NCR: Hopes and Challenges". "Asia"s largest airport is also coming up in Jewar here. Work has been expedited for the Film City too. Similarly, investments have come in the region in other sectors also," he said, crediting the improved law and order situation also for the transformation. The BJP leader also came down hard on former chief ministers of rival parties for having "jinxed" parts of NCR, including Noida and Greater Noida, by avoiding in-person visits. Eight districts of UP -- Meerut, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Baghpat, Hapur, Shamli and Muzaffarnagar -- are part of the National Capital Region, a bigger region which also contains parts of Haryana, Rajasthan and entire Delhi. Adityanath said that before 2017, the state did not have good public transport but now it has metro trains in four cities, while efforts are on to launch metro services in Kanpur and Agra by this year end. Earlier, the bad condition of roads in UP was a running joke among the people from other states but the situation has changed with new expressways coming up in Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said. PTI KIS VN AAR